Flesh of the Madgod
by CaptainWolfe11
Summary: Absinthe was the creation of the Madgod, an amalgamation of Dunmer and Daedric blood. Destined to become Sheogorath's Champion, she tossed aside her unwanted legacy and promptly ended up in prison. A new path awaits her as the Champion of Cyrodill, but can she truly dodge the whim of the Madgod? [Martin/OC] Sheogorath (mainly) in later chapters. Main and Shivering Isles plot lines.
1. Chapter 1

The storm raged above me, and I could feel the eyes of the Madgod bore through me from the heavens. The thought made my stomach turn and the voices in my head grow louder. Some were shouting, some were laughing, and some were screaming. The cacophony was a chorus of chaos, or a chaos of chorus? No, no, a chaotic chorus. I grabbed both sides of my head and gritted my teeth. It was these thoughts that were driving me mad! "Shut up!" I screamed.

Like the snap of a tree branch, reality whipped me in the face. It was a grey day, rain was falling from the sky, and pattering on the cobblestones. Around me, citizens of the Imperial city were staring at me with surprise, maybe even fear. I lowered my head and kept walking, letting the rain soak my clothes. I had four feet, no, no it was only two. But it looked like four, it was all blurry. I needed to calm down.

I looked at my feet and wandered forwards, hearing the people around me murmur. I ran smack into an iron wall, and felt the chains start to bind me.

No, not chains. They were hands, with iron gauntlets, which had grabbed my wrists. "Ma'am, can you come with us?" The iron man said.

"No, no!" I gasped. I had felt the vile chains of capture around me before, I couldn't survive it again. "Please I'm fine!" I was being dragged, dragged away. The people thought I was crazy, that I was going to harm them. "I never hurt anyone!"

"Perhaps a night in a cell will calm you down, dark elf." Said the iron man. I still struggled.

"NOO!" I was screaming now. I was wrenching my arms back and forth will all my strength. Let me go, let me go, let me go...

I felt more hands take me, and I knew with a demented blackening of my heart that I was not getting free of them. I let myself sag, my feet dragging along the cold, cobbled ground. Throwing my head up, I looked up at the sky. The clouds were gray, and the specks of light fell from them, dropping in my eyes and glossing them over. Suddenly, a crash of violent thunder split the air. No one else noticed but me that the lighting came a split second after its resonance, a blinding white light that, for an instant, painted everything a violent shade of pure color.

 _Why?_ I asked him. _Why do you always follow me?_

* * *

The cell was dark, and cold, and small. It was the kind of place that penned in my thoughts and twisted me up into knots. The storm could still be heard outside, raging and howling. Every once and awhile, a flash of lighting would crash upon the foundations of the prison, echoing one word over and over again. _Madness._

I reached under my sack cloth shirt and clasped my amulet. They hadn't taken that away, curiously. I suppose they thought a plain amulet of Akatosh would't hurt anyone, and they were right.

Akatosh had never done anything for me. All those times I had prayed to him for strength, he hadn't done as much as lift one of his dragon claws to my aid. Before my flight from the Shrine I had chosen Akatosh purposefully, as the one I would beseech.

Mara was the goddess of love, I had thought at first that she would be the best to pray to, that she would heal me. However, she was also the goddess of family and parentage. I had no family, my parentage was a vile mistake. Stendarr was the god of mercy, but also the god of justice. If any creature deserved the justice of the Aedra, it was me. I had also considered Julianos, whom governed wisdom. Perhaps his steady thought could counterbalance my disorder? No, my disorder was a foil to his mind, I was not worthy. With every Aedra, I found a cause for them to hate me.

But Akatosh...He was the god of time, strength, endurance. He was the closest thing to order that the Aedra had. So I had clutched onto the hope that Akatosh would save me. I knew he wouldn't, but I also knew that holding onto this amulet gave me calm, so I chose not to care.

For hours a dark mumbling had been going on in the cell across from mine, but suddenly I heard it grow louder. "You, you there! Come here, let me see you..."

I froze, hearing the madness in his voice. I thought for a moment that it disturbed me, but realized that it didn't. It should have frightened me, but I knew that it had the opposite effect. I stood up, wincing at the ache of my frozen bones. I hobbled over to the bars.

It was a Dunmer who stared back at me, my own kin. He looked me over, a deranged smile creeping across his face. "I must surely be dead, and in the halls of Azura to look upon such a vision. You are so beautiful, my dear Dunmer maiden..." I knew he was lying, the crazy fool. Somehow his madness calmed me, like it brought me home. "One of the guards owes me a favor, you know. I could get us put in the same cell. Would you like that? You should have some fun before the end. Yeah, you heard me. No matter what the law says. No matter what they told you. You're going to die in here! You're going to die!" His taunts of death did not reach my ears. I was too busy feeling the creeping revulsion cloud my thoughts.

Suddenly there was a bang down the hall. "Hey, you hear that? The guards are coming...for you! He he he he he..."

Indeed the clinking of armor was getting closer and closer. A panic drove through my chest. My vision swam, and strangely, I realized that my panic was not stemming from fear of death. No, it was something that was approaching me which was affecting me so greatly. A light was coming from down the hall. I could feel it as well as see it, just like I could feel the amulet of Akatosh grow warm against my chest. My heartbeat quickened, and the voices in my mind started yelling, shouting. I stumbled backwards, tripping over the latrine bucket and onto the ground. Faintly I thought, _Good thing I haven't used it._

Voices were coming closer. I couldn't tell what they were saying, so loud was the chorus inside my head. Suddenly, a woman appeared at the gate of my cell. She spoke so loudly this time I could make out her words.

"What's this prisoner doing here? This cell is supposed to be empty!" Anger flowed from her like sparks, but it wasn't because she was angry...curios...it was because she was frightened. _Fear and anger, so much fun, such best friends!_ I gritted my teeth.

"Usual mix up with the watch, I-" Another guard sputtered.

"Nevermind, get that gate open." The woman interrupted.

The door to my cell swung open, and a Redgaurd walked in. His armor was not iron, it was shiny, a shiny silver and gold. "You there, prisoner, stand up against the wall."

I shuffled back along the ground, pushed myself up, and squished my back against the wall. The guard advanced, blocking me from the other people entering the cell. There were three others, two guards and a well dressed man.

When I looked upon him, the voices in my mind screamed and my amulet seared. I gasped and pressed myself even further against the wall, screwing my eyes shut. "You...I've seen you..." A voice like the deep rumble of the ocean pulled at me, and it was terrifying. I would never have looked at him if it wasn't for the fact that his voice cut through the ramblings in my mind. Suddenly, they were silent. I felt dizzy and nauseated, and I had to grasp the wall to keep from falling. "Let me see your face..." He advanced, and the guard blocking me had to move to the side to let the Emperor come closer.

His eyes were blue. Quick, sharp, icy blue. I flinched as I looked into them, expecting some sort of pain to breach me. Nothing happened. His gaze continued to fight away the voices in my head. He reached up a hand to my face, and I was frozen to the spot. His wrinkled hand brushed the veil of stringy black hair away from my appearance. "Yes, you are the one from my dreams...Then the stars are right, and this is the day...gods give me strength..."

His words were simply stated. They were order, they were calm. They were the opposite of me.

"Who are you?" I asked. My voice was a breathy tone that indicated my need to know _what_ he was, not just _who_.

"I am your Emperor, Uriel Septim. By the grace of the gods I serve Tamriel as her ruler." He looked at me oddly, and I thought I saw him smile. "Though you may not believe it, you too are a citizen of Tamriel." A citizen of Tamriel...no, I didn't believe it. "You too will serve her in your own way." he went on.

Serve Tamriel? I was not in any position to serve this plane of existence! And who was I to have the ability to help anyone? In my experience, I had never even been able to help myself.

"Serve Tamriel?" I echoed.

"Perhaps the gods have placed you here so that we may meet." He said sagely, smiling at me in an almost fatherly way. "Your destiny may not be what you think it is."

"Sire! We need to keep moving!" Said the woman, her eyes shining with urgency.

The Emperor looked at me for one last moment. "We will meet again soon." He turned away and followed the guards out. Only one guard was in the cell with me still. He looked from me to the door, and then shrugged, smiling a little.

"Looks like it's your lucky day, prisoner. Just stay out of our way." He too, disappeared into the darkness.

I stood there for many moments before I grasped my amulet and brought it out from underneath my shirt. The lightning from outside pierced the cell like hellfire and the amulet shined in defiance. I looked up at the window, smirking at the Madgod. "Not today." I followed into the darkness.

* * *

I was a mage. Virtually the only thing I could handle safely was magic. I had alteration spells to defend myself, a few destruction spells, and one Restoration spell I had gotten the hang of. But what I was really good at was conjuring. Daedra, to be specific. As soon as I looked upon the locked gate to the dark hole in the wall, I had lifted my hand and summoned a daedra. My daedroth lumbered through the hole and cleared a path for me, for which I was very grateful.

It was nice, leaving the killing up to the daedroth. Only once and awhile did a creature get past it, and I held them off well enough with a conjured mace.

What really bothered me was the dark. I never liked the dark. It was full of voices and thoughts. Some people thought it was empty, but really, it was thick. The voices on the edge of my consciousness were beginning to edge back inwards, whispers of dissention. Beside me I could hear the soft hissing of my daedroth, and focused on it and it alone.

After some winding goblin tunnels and the sewers, I made it to a room with a small slit in the wall. I looked back to the daedroth and whispered an apology before I loosened the binding magic and sent it back to oblivion.

I squeezed through the hole sideways, tumbling out of it and onto the ground. It had been a short fall, but at an awkward angle, and my hip protested angrily to getting up. The sound of metal on metal greeted me, and I summoned a smaller creature to aid me. A Hunger appeared at my side, and together we approached the sound. Just ahead I saw the guards kill the last of the red-robed people. Taking a breath, I dismissed my daedra, and entered the pool of light in the room.

One of the guards saw me, an angry looking man. "It's that prisoner again...we should kill her, she could be working with the assassins!" He advanced, pulling out his sword.

I backed up, holding out my hands. _Death!_ A voice suddenly shouted. _Entrails..._

"No. She is not one of them." It was the Emperor's voice. The angry man looked very much like he would have loved to end my existence right then and there. However, he sheathed his weapon stiffly and glared, walking away. The Emperor looked at me, smiling, like he had before. "Come closer, I'd prefer not to have to shout." My feet carried me over to the man. "They cannot understand why I trust you. They have not seen what I have seen...How can I explain..." He looked ahead, eyes unfocused, like he was looking at something that was in his mind only. "Listen. You know the Nine? How they guide our fates with an invisible hand?" He was looking at me with those blue, blue eyes. I wanted to tell him, then, what I was. I merely shook my head and looked to the floor. "Child." he said, suddenly, his voice holding a softness. I felt a hand on my shoulder. "The Nine do not desert anyone, not even you." I looked back up into his face. A chill fell all the way down my spine. _Not even you._

"I have served the Nine all my days and I chart my course by the cycle of the heavens. I wonder...what stars you were born under?"

The stars I were born under bore little importance to me in light of the circumstances of my birth; however, the usefulness of my deep magika reserves had helped me on more than one occasion. "The Atronach." I told him.

He nodded. "Then perhaps the Atronach will guide your steps..."

I blinked and looked around the room. "Where is it that you're trying to go?" I asked.

"My Blades are trying to safely deliver me out of these sewers. However, that is not where I will go."

I furrowed my brow. I had the feeling that he was saying he wasn't going to make it out. But how much more dangerous could these tunnels be? He had two strong guards. "Where are you going?" I asked for clarification.

"I am going to my grave. A tongue shriller than all the music calls me. You shall follow me yet for awhile, then we must part. I shall face my apportioned fate, then fall."

His words fell from his lips like prophecy. I furrowed my brow. He seemed so calm... "Aren't you afraid to die?" I whispered softly.

"No trophies of my triumphs proceed me, but I have lived well, and my ghost shall rest easy." He seemed to register the shock on my face. "Child, In your face I behold the sun's companion. The dawn of Akatosh's bright glory may banish the coming darkness. With such hope, and the promise of your aid, my heart is satisfied."

I blinked. He needed my help to bring Akatosh's 'bright glory' to Tamriel...Akatosh...an Aedra. " _My_ aid?" I stuttered out.

The angry man stepped forward. "All right, we should keep moving." He headed off into the tunnel, and the Emperor followed.

"Here, if you're going to be following us, you might as well make yourself useful." The other guard, the one that had blocked my view, was addressing me. He handed me a torch. I nodded numbly.

"I can conjure too, if that would help."

He shook his head. "That would just get in the way. Come on, we can't fall too far behind." I fell in step behind the Blade, my burning torch sending twisting shadows across the walls. They made pictures, dancing pictures.

The sewers were cold and dank, never changing as we marched along. Once or twice, red conjurers accosted us, and the Emperor and I stood at the back of the group, waiting for the Blades to kill them all. We seemed to be reaching the end when the man up front, the angry one, shouted something about a locked door. A locked door? it must be a trap. _Hehehehehehehhehehe trapped in a cage!_ Raucous laughter filled my skull. I growled under my breath.

"Back there, there's another passage!" Cried the nice Blade.

"Worth a try, let's go!" Said the angry one. We filed into the room, which was a dead end. "Dammit, a trap!" Suddenly the sounds of approaching enemies hit all of us. The blades ran to hold them off, the nice one yelling at me to protect the Emperor with my life before he disappeared into the darkness. I could hear the clangings, the cries, and the screams. The gurgles and the splashing blood. I pressed against the wall in fear. Suddenly, the Emperor turned to me, grabbing my shoulders and looking into my face with urgency.

"I can go no further. You alone can stand against the Prince of Destruction and his mortal servants. He must not have the Amulet of Kings!" He removed the glowing jewel from his neck, and the vibrant red grew dull. He placed it in one of my hands, bringing the other down on top of it. He held my hands in his, his eyes intense. "Take the Amulet, give it to Jauffre. He alone knows where to find my last son. Find him, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion."

I blinked, my mind rushing to take all of this in. The voices were screaming, the Amulet was burning my hands, my mind was thinking of some kind of excuse to utter to get me out of all this...when all of a sudden, a flash of red burned in my vision. The Emperor was cut down by a conjured mace, his blood flying across the wall and my tattered clothes. I screamed, dropped the amulet, and unleashed from my hands all the fire that I could. In seconds the assassin was a crisp corpse on the ground. My arms were shaking and I could barely see, but a tugging on my mind reminded me of the Amulet. I picked it up, again aware of how hot it was on my skin.

The Blade rushed in, and immediately he fell to his knees in front of the Emperor's body. There was a moment of thick silence. "We've failed... _I've failed._ " He choked out. He reached over the slain Emperor, hands looking for something, when he cried, "The Amulet! Where is the Amulet of Kings!" He stood up, looking around with wide eyes. Trying to speak, I shoved the Amulet forward towards him, stuttering "H-He gave it to me."

The man calmed. "It's strange...he saw something in you...trusted you. They say it's the Dragon Blood that flows through every Septim's veins. They see more than lesser men." He looked downwards onto his former ruler with sorrow. "He must have given it to you for a reason, did he say why?"

I nodded. "He said...to give it to Jauffre...that there was another heir."

The Blade shrugged. He looked so defeated now, and it made me sad for him. "Nothing that I ever knew about. But if anyone would know, it would be Jauffre. He's the head of our Order, though you wouldn't know it to see him. He lives quietly as a monk at Wenyon Priory. Here's the key to the Sewers."

I blinked. "Wait...wait you want me to deliver this...this extremely important artifact...by myself?!"

He nodded. "I have to stay and guard the Emperor's body."

I shook my head. "No, no. I was locked in here for being crazy, you can't expect a crazy person to do something like this!"

He chuckled dryly at me. "Kid, the whole Empire's going crazy. Look, you handled yourself well, I know you'll be able to get that where it needs to go. From the looks of it, you're a mage?"

I shrugged, "Conjurer."

"Hmmm, close enough. Anyway, you should make your way out of the sewers and give that to Jauffre."

I looked down at the stone and sighed. Despite myself, I nodded.

"The name's Baurus by the way. Thanks for all your help down here."

I looked to him with resignation. "The name's Absinthe."

I descended into the sewers.

* * *

I summoned more daedroths to help me on my way through the sewers. I was numb all over. What had I done, what had I gotten myself into? This whole thing was mad, terribly terribly mad. I disregarded the giggling in my mind. Who was I to do any of this? Certainly not a champion of Akatosh. The metal of both the Amulet of Kings and the religious trinket around my neck had not stopped their burning since my meeting with the Emperor. They said the Septim line held the blood of Akatosh inside of them, and the Amulet held that blood too. Perhaps the Amulet was supposed to be warm. However, that did not explain how my own Akatosh Amulet was so hot now too. Another theory began creeping into my mind.

Akatosh was a divine, an Aedra. His power was light and good and just, the opposite of Daedra. The blood in my veins could be crying out against the holy metals touching my skin.

Shaking my head I continued on. When the light of the outside met my skin I felt free. I smiled and pushed open the grate and burst out into the air. I laid down on the grass and took a deep breath. What was I to do now? I placed the Amulet on my stomach, where its heat was not as intense through my clothes.

I blinked and held my hands up above my face. They were a light blue, soft and unused to hard toil. Magic and fear had kept me out of physical danger for much of my life. I had never fought for a cause before, preferring my only cause to be myself. Now though, it was harder to tell myself to just run away. The least I could do was give Jauffre the Amulet. I couldn't keep it forever anyways.

So I made my decision.

Fighting for the cause of the Septims...fighting for the mortal plane of existence...why...that was just _madness._ I grinned.


	2. Chapter 2

The Black Road was empty of travelers, aside from myself. All day I had walked, and not seen a single person. There had been a few wolves I had taken care of, but nothing more dangerous than that. Oh how my luck was going to change...

The sky was big and blue, peaceful, with only a few puffy white clouds in sight. It seemed to take only a moment for the storm clouds to desecrate the area, and the rain to fall. It was so sudden I looked up to study the sky. On the edge of the horizon on all sides I could make out the nice blue weather I had seen only moments ago. It was with a jolt of fear that I realized that the storm had materialized only around this area, around me.

I knew why this was. I had stopped in my tracks and pondered my situation. I knew that my escapade wouldn't last very long. It's impossible to hide from a daedric prince. In the end I continued walking. He would appear to me when he wanted to, and it would be foolish to try to run now. I was glad I had purchased a thicker cloak from the Imperial City. It was very warm, made of a dark grey wool that made my skin look bluer than it normally did. The Amulet of kings was situated safely in the pack I had also acquired, and it's weight grew heavier and heavier in my mind as the day grew on.

Finally my anxious torment was ended when I saw an elderly gentleman appear on the road ahead of me, walking in my direction. His fancy suit was split in the middle, one half dark and purple, the other half bright and red. His stalf he used like a cane, jauntily strolling across the mortal plane. When we had come within earshot of each other he called out to me. "Ah my precious Absinthe, how good it is to see ya!" His face was a picture of happiness and joviality. Then it descended into a dark and threatening smile. "Or not."

I swallowed and crossed the distance to him. I kneeled in front of him, saying nothing. He whacked me with his cane, not hard, but hard enough for me to rub my leg in irritation. "Geeet up! You don't mean it anyway." Then he threw his head up in a rough laugh. "So, this is how my champion repays me."

I stood up and brushed the dirt of my robes, leg still throbbing a bit. "I'm not your champion." I grumbled.

He laughed again, harder this time. "Ahhhh listen to ya, ya adorably deluded half-child! I own you! I created the skin on ye bones, I can flay it off whenever I like!" He tittered his fingers together and grinned. "And then make pictures out o' your entrails!"

A familiar chill went down my spine, yet I managed to just let out a sigh. I was very used to these threats of death, they had been made all my life. "You're not the only one who created me." I said, looking at him with as much defiance as I dared. He liked people to challenge him a little, it was different from the normal groveling. However, you did best to not challenge his authority too much.

"Yes yes yes your boring mortal mother. How terribly lazy a her to die when the ritual was over..." He seemed to think for a moment. "Or maybe not...wait...nevermind, yes, very lazy indeed."

I knew that this meeting was going to end with me dying, me going back with him, or him letting me go. Though the last one did seem less likely..."My point is, My Lord, that I am not just you. You can't expect me to do everything you want."

He crossed the distance frighteningly quick, throwing his staff aside and grabbing both sides of my face with his hands. His snarl was terrifying, and I could feel the thrill of adrenaline wash over me like an electric shiver. I gasped, trying to close my eyes against his snakelike, golden ones. "Look at me!" He growled. I forced my eyes open to stare deep into chaotic pools of gold. I felt my breathing slow, my heart begin to calm. I was losing my will to those powerful orbs. I stirred my mind up against it, thinking about the Emperor, remembering his clear and calm words. _Find him, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion._

Sheogorath released me in frustration. He looked at me with murder in his eyes. Then, he laughed. "That's why I like you ABBIE!" He shouted into the rain. "Always so DAMN UNPREDICTABLE!" A slash of lightning cut through the sky and for a moment, I was blind. His constant giggling was all around me. Finally, he looked back at me, cupping my chin with a hand. "I would have killed ya earlier if you had followed me like a blind dog. I could have turned you into a dog. Or a toad. Or a cat with a dog head. But I _didn't_. Because you never liked me. It would have been too easy that way. All over and done with and a bag o' clowns for breakfast!" He grinned at me like a feral animal. Letting go of my chin, he stalked away some distance and then twirled around, pointing a finger at me. "So let's make a deal, eh?"

I shifted my weight from one hip to another. A deal with Sheogorath would be binding. I couldn't go back on it. All this time he'd never asked me to make a single, cut and dry deal with him. But at the same time, if I refused his deal, the consequences would most certainly be...not good. With caution, I replied, "What would this deal be?"

He mirrored me, shifting his weight in a rather feminine fashion. "Well, you see, brother Dagon has it in his mind to take the mortal realm for his own. I DON'T LIKE THAT." He tapped his chin with his finger. "So maybe we can do each other a favor. You can go on your quest to save Prettyboy and this boring realm, but then when you're done..." He grinned, and a sickening playfulness entered his eyes. "You _will_ be my champion."

The rain started falling a little harder. By now I was thoroughly soaked, even through my new cloak. A frustration entered my chest and burned there like a fire. I had always, _always_ been told, ever since I had been brought into existence by that wretched ritual, that I was made by Sheogorath to fight as his champion against some foreseen enemy. 'No mortal is good enough.' They had told me, which was why I had been created, to fill the role of champion. Half mortal, half daedra. My mother's womb had been ripped open by the ritual that crafted my body out of her flesh. A body that was tied to the whim of Sheogorath as soon as it first drew breath and cried out to a mother that wasn't there.

I _didn't_ want to be his champion! I never had. I wanted my life to be mine, more than anything. But how could that ever possibly be, with my life tied so closely with the Madgod's. At least with this deal, I would have some time on this mortal plane to my own. The realization that this was my only option made my stomach churn. I was tired of not having options. I looked squarely at him and nodded tersely.

He grinned. "Oh, but you have to say, 'Yes, daddy!' You have to say it or no deal!" He cackled.

I felt anger flush my cheeks. "FINE!" I shouted. "Then I get to add on a rule too. The whole time I'm here you can't bother me. I don't want to see heads or tails of you, at all. Ever."

"I only have one head. And no tail. But I could grow one!" He laughed at himself.

I frowned, crossing my arms. "Sheogorath?"

He sighed. "Oh fine fine fine fine fiiiiine! Oh you boring boring mortals, forcing me to be patient! It makes me so sick I want to vomit up me own intestines! Very well, Abbie, I'll leave ya alone. IIIIF! Ya call me Daddy." He smiled devilishly.

I sighed, feeling myself that I wanted to vomit my intestines out! Gritting my teeth I pushed out. "Yes, Daddy."

He let out a very undignified cry of joy and danced all around me, finally pulling me into a hug. He kissed my forehead and ignored it when I pulled away in disgust. "Goodbye! TA! So long!" He paused mid jig and looked squarely at me, lips pulling into a mirthless smile. "See you in Paradise."

And with that, he was gone.

* * *

It was a relief when I finally made it to the Priory. I was tired and achy, as I had walked through the night to get here. I hated having such an important item in my bag. What if a band of Highwaymen killed me, and it ended up in their hands? Or a bear ate me, and it was to forever lay in some godsforsaken bush! I shivered and picked up the pace, watching with exhausted satisfaction as the stony walls of the Priory grew closer and closer.

Dawn was just peaking up and the sky was a pleasantly light blue. All in all, I was very happy. I knew that my soul was still bound to the Madgod, but at least I didn't have to worry right now. At this moment, I was as good as free. It was refreshing to look over your shoulder only for bandits, and not a crazy Daedra.

When I came up to the Priory doors, I didn't know whether to knock or not. I shrugged, pushed the doors open. Well, they weren't locked. When I entered, a monk looked up from his reading. "May I help you?" He said dryly.

I suddenly wished my hair didn't look so awful, and that I wasn't so dirty, and that I didn't smell like skeever infested sewers. Being worried about having your skin flayed off by your 'Daddy' had a way of distracting you from the social nicety of not looking like a deranged beggar. I flattened down my hair nervously. "Uuumm I'm here to see a 'Jauffre.'"

He looked me over with an arched eyebrow. "Brother Jauffre is in the study, upstairs." He pointed.

"Thanks." I was glad to move away from him. I found Jauffre rather easily, deep in a tome. I moved towards his desk, waiting for him to see me. After a long moment he looked up at me.

"I'm Jauffre, as Prior Maborel told you. What can I help you with?"

I pulled my pack off of my shoulders and opened it. "Well, uh, the Emperor told me to find you."

"The Emperor?" He was suddenly sitting very straight in his chair. "What do you know of his death?"

I froze in my rummaging, trying to think of a way to say this and not sound guilty. Nope, none. "Uhhh...I was kinda there. When he died."

Jauffre frowned, looking very intensely at me. Not like a monk at all, indeed. "You best explain yourself very quickly!"

"I'm trying!" I exclaimed. "If I could just find the damn thing!" Finally, my fingers brushed up against something metal and very hot. I hissed, then grabbed it and put it on his desk hastily. "He told me to give you that. He wanted me to keep it safe. I promise I didn't kill him!" The un-monk looked at the Amulet for a long moment, and then back up to me. His voice was soft, almost reverent.

"Your story may be unlikely, but I believe you. Only the strange fate of Uriel Septim could have entangled you within it's web." With that hint of acceptance, I relaxed.

"He also said that you knew where to find his son?"

He nodded. "Yes. He's a priest in the Chapel of Akatosh in Kvatch. His name is Martin." He paused, and looked to be in deep thought. "I need to stay here and guard the Amulet. You must go and find Martin."

Normally that would have frustrated me, but I was ecstatic he wanted to include me in this quest. I didn't want to die, or do anything remotely dangerous, but I also would do anything to stay in the mortal plane longer. "I will."

"I keep some supplies if you need any weapons." He offered.

I shook my head. "No thank you, I'm a mage."

He nodded. "Also, If you need to rest, there are beds here for guests. You may use one, though I urge you to remember the imminence of your task."

I was on an urgent quest to save the last of the Septim line, and he was offering to let me take a nap? Sheol, how bad did I look? But I did need to rest, I couldn't walk to Kvatch like this. "Thank you, I will rest a little."

I turned to leave, but before I did, he said, "Oh, and you might want to...bathe in the river before you go."

Damn.

* * *

I took a short nap and bathed in the river. The stable keeper, Eronor, gave me a shirt and pair of pants of his when I asked awkwardly. I was still wearing my prison clothes. It felt nice to change into something that wasn't crusty with grime. Sheol, it felt good to not _be_ crusty with grime! When I entered the Priory to grab my things, Prior Maborel approached me. "A man came while you were out by the river. I didn't want to disturb you. He left you a few things." He handed me a bag.

Confused, I accepted the package. Did anyone know I was here? Maybe..Baurus? "What did he look like?"

Maborel shrugged. "An unsettled looking Dunmer in white robes. He said it would keep your...'skin on your bones' for longer."

I sighed. "Don't worry about that, he's crazy. Thanks for holding this for me."

"You're welcome. Oh, and before I forget. I know you're on a mission of haste. I have a paint horse in the stables that you may use."

I blinked. I wouldn't have to walk? "Thank you so much!"

He inclined his head and walked away.

I went outside and rummaged through the bag Ferul Ravel had left for me. It could be literally anything...A severed head...A bouquet of flowers...

One by one, I pulled out the items. There was a ring, with light and dark jewels set into it, a book, entitled _The Madness of Pelagius_ , a red and purple cloak, rimmed with gold embroidery, and a scroll, with the title _Summon Scruffy._ At the bottom of the bag I found a note, which I opened.

 _"Dear Champion,_

 _Please note that our Lord is well within his rights to send you these items, as he is not bothering you directly. Master Sheogorath asked me to send you a few items to 'keep your skin from falling off.' It is in his best interest that Mehrunes does not take over the mortal plane, as he would then be the most powerful daedric prince. The ring is the Signet ring of the Madgod. It will drain willpower, but make you more personable. Use it with discretion. The cloak has a magic ward, and the scroll lets you summon 'Scruffy' when you want to. He is a skinned hound, a favorite pet of your father. Every time you summon him he will be taken from the Shivering Isles and sent to you. The book was my idea. You never did finish reading it, did you? I will give this package to the head priest at the shrine. I do hope he doesn't lose it._

 _-Haskill"_

I sighed. Really, he thought I couldn't do this by myself? I shoved all the items back in the bag, and shoved the bag in my pack. I didn't need his help...Yet.

I set off on Prior Maborel's horse, hoping the trip to Kvatch would be much less eventful.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hi! I'm really anxious to hear what you guys think of the story so far, if it's even worth continuing. If you read through it and like it, or if you read through it and**_ ** _don't, please tell me in a review or a PM, I really really love feedback. Thank you all!_**

It was unbelievably nice to have a horse to ride to Kvatch. The trip took only the daylight, and the sun was just dipping below the horizon when I could make out the smoke of Kvatch. I spurred the horse faster, and we galloped up to the settlement.

"It's over its over! We're all going to die!" Screamed a High Elf that flew past me, away from the settlement. What in the name of the Madgod...? I jumped off of the horse and pulled aside the nearest person, a female Redguard. She looked distressed and anxious, but at least she was paying attention to me.

"I need to find the Priest, Martin. Is he here, did he make it?" Gods forbid the last heir was slain...

She shook her head. "No, very few of us did. Last I saw him he was leading people to the temple. I think they managed to barricade the doors against those creatures...but I don't know."

I nodded. "Thank you." I looked up towards the smokey sky. _Akatosh, let him be alive._ I ran up the hill, and as I did, the sky sparked with red lightning, the clouds becoming a sickly bloodstained ash. What was this? Something this powerful...it had to be Daedric.

As I entered the view of the city gates, I knew I had guessed right. It was no doubt an Oblivion Portal. From the looks of it, it led straight into Mehrunes Dagon's plane. A guard hurried over to me. "What are you doing here civilian! Get back to the encampment!" His face was slick with blood, grime, and sweat, and his voice could barely be heard above the crackling of the infernal gate.

"I'm not a civillian!" I shouted back. "I need to get inside those gates!"

He spared me a look of shock. "You want to get INSIDE? We've been trying to get people OUT!"

"I want to help those people in the Chapel!" I countered.

He looked back to the gate, the red hellfire illuminating his shining skin. "I wish we could, but that...that gate to hell...its blocking the doors! We could never get the people out!"

I followed his gaze, looking into the fire. It was the most stable portal to an Oblivion Plane I had ever seen. Stable or not, it could be closed. If the power source, or anchor, was removed, it would collapse. They could be using anything to power it...a Crystal Seal, an Aegis Gem, even a Sigil Stone. Gods I was glad Haskill made me read those dry books about Portal Theory. "I'll close it." I called to him.

He looked at me like he'd heard me wrong. "What?"

"I'll close the gate! Then we could get the people out."

He looked stunned, but nonetheless pleased. "It's your funeral! I'll cover you as you run in. Good luck!" I nodded, looked at the Oblivion Gate, and took a breath. I hadn't been in an Oblivion Plane for years, and something told me Dagon's realm would not be as nice as the Shivering Isles. I steeled my resolve, and ran.

The fire crashed over me, and the familiar sensation of being transported to another realm tingled over my skin. Then, I was greeted by waves of dry, sweltering air. Immediately I was sweating, and I was Dunmer. This place was inconceivable...

I looked up at the large tower, knowing that's where the power source was most likely kept. I summoned my Daedroth, and started forwards.

* * *

As I entered the Sigillus Sanguis, I took a deep breath. I was sore from running, my lungs ached from the acrid air, I'd sweat through my cloak, and I was sick of the color red. I summoned two Daedroth, and ordered them ahead. I heard the yelling of dremora and the clanging of steel on scales. Then, everything was quiet. I summoned a mace and carefully stepped forward into the sanctum. One Daedroth was waiting patiently for me, the other had been killed. Sighing, I released it's binding to send it back to where it came from.

I climbed up the slippery walkway on all fours, the ringing of the anchor pulsing into my ears. When I straightened up, I saw what the anchor was, a sigil stone. They were powerful artifacts you could use for enchanting, and also anchoring portals. Wincing, I stuck my hands into the fire and pulled the stone out. The platform shook and the fire exploded outwards, propelling me into the air. I shrieked, expecting to hit the wall of the tower.

I didn't. I landed on soft soil, raindrops hitting my face. I opened my eyes to see a light shoot upwards from the portal. Then, it was gone.

The stone shrunk in my hands, becoming small enough to fit in my palm. I thought I could still hear a faint ringing from it.

"You did it! You closed the gate!" The guard I had talked to earlier ran up to me. "I knew you could do it!" He helped me up with a grin on his face. "I'm Savlian Mattius by the way. Come on, let's get those people out of the city!" He charged ahead with his men and I groaned, willing my legs to move forward.

I entered the city behind the guards, keeping a distance away until they had killed all the scamps and clannefears. I figured I had done enough questing for the day, thank you very much. When the daedra were all dead, I hurried ahead, and entered the Chapel with the Guard.

There were some civilians huddled near the door, looking worried and scared. When Mattius told them that I had closed the gate, they all smiled and looked at me with appreciation and relief. One man came up to me. "Thank you, you have saved us all. My family will be safe because of you." He looked to the side and I followed his gaze, where a Breton woman was holding a baby in her arms. Its tiny hands reached upwards for a strand of its mother's hair, pulling slightly. She winced and then smiled, removing its little paw from her locks. The child had no idea what it had just survived. Had I really been the one to save it?

An emotion I had never felt before washed over me. I could feel tears prick my eyes. Blinking them away, I looked up at the man. "I am glad your family is safe." He nodded to me and returned to them.

I looked around the group for any man that looked like a priest, but I couldn't see anyone like that. My stomach fell. "Excuse me, are you looking for someone?" I turned to see a Redguard woman in Kvatch chainmail.

"Yes, actually. A priest named Martin. Did he make it?"

The woman looked apprehensive, and for a moment, I thought me must be dead. My heart sank and I could feel my vision darkening.

"Yes." She said suddenly. "He is over there." She pointed to the alter in the middle of the room, draped in shadows. If I strained my eyes, I could make out a dark figure, who was kneeling.

Saved from my sudden despair, I thanked her, heading over to the last of the Septim line.

The man was kneeling in front of the alter, but instead of his head being raised up, as was customary in Aedric prayers, it was cast downwards. He didn't move as I approached him, slowly. This man had just lost everything he had known, almost died...I couldn't imagine what that terror was like. I didn't know quite what to do, and I felt awkward standing there, so I sat on the ground next to where he kneeled, folding my legs under me.

We sat in silence for awhile, then, he spoke. "You asked for me." He said softly. "If you came for a priest, you're more foolish than I imagined. Look around...What good is a priest?" His voice held anguish and defeat. I didn't need an Emperor who wallowed in his own sadness. Tamriel didn't, I meant. "I prayed all night to Akatosh, but no help came, only more Daedra."

Trying to be a little more optimistic, I offered "The Chapel is still standing. Perhaps the gods did hear your prayers."

He snorted. "If they did, than why isn't the whole city still standing?"

I shook my head. "Martin, If you knew exactly who you were, you would be as thankful to the gods as I am that this Chapel is still standing."

He looked at me, bristling. "And who 'exactly' am I, then?"

I blinked, trying to figure out how to say this. "Martin...you are the last heir to the Septim throne. You are the Emperor's son."

He looked at me blankly for a few moments. Then, he chuckled mirthlessly. "No, traveler, you must be mistaken. Either that or you are pulling a very ill-timed joke. I am the son of a farmer, not an Emperor."

I sighed, knowing it would be hard to make him understand. "I am not mistaken, and I am not joking. I know it would be hard to believe if I was hearing it myself..." Gods, how could I convince him? I frowned and thought for a moment before speaking again. "A few days ago, I was a imprisoned in the Imperial city, with nothing but the clothes on my back to my name. Then, your father's escape route led through my cell. He told me to find you, sent me on this quest..." I laughed in exasperation. "I've never been on a quest before! Sheo, I just jumped into Mehrunes Dagon's plane of Oblivion to shut that gate to get to you!" Shaking my head, I looked right into his eyes. "I think this is a time of people being made into something greater than themselves."

He looked at me for along moment, then gave in, nodding. "As strange as your story sounds...I believe you. I...will go with you."

I gave a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Martin."

He stood up, offering me a hand. I took it and stood up with him. "What should I call you then, besides the 'Hero of Kvatch'?"

"Oh Sheo, no, just call me Abbie."

And with that, we headed out of the temple.

* * *

The paint horse patiently obliged two occupants on its back, walking a bit slower than it had on the way here. Martin said little behind me, and I figured it must be because he was thinking about Kvatch. When darkness descended before we made it to the Priory, we decided to make a camp for the night with our meager supplies.

The fire was crackling between us, and I lay on my back, looking up at the stars. The sky here I could never get used to. It was just a dull blue, with white stars pricking it. There were only two things I missed about the Shivering Isles, Haskill, and the sky at night.

Haskill had raised me when I was younger. Though created by a ritual, I was a baby when I was 'born,' as I had come out of my mother's womb. Not wanting his Champion to be raised by the half-wit's at the shrine, nor by a mere mortal, Sheogorath took me into his realm, charging Haskill to take care of me as I matured. I only stayed until I was fifteen. By that time, the Madgod declared I was fit to live in the mortal world. I don't know why he made me leave, but then, little of what he did had any reason.

During my time growing up, Haskill had educated me, teaching me all about the Daedra, the Aedra, the Madgod himself, and the state of the universe. I think he would deny any attachment to me, but I had certainly grown fond of him. And the sky...the sky had been so beautiful...full of colors and life and movement. It was amazing...

With a loud crackle of the fire, I realized that I had been _missing_ the Isles...With a frustrated frown I banished the images away.

"They came for me, didn't they?"

I looked sideways across the flickering tongues of flame.

"I think so."

He said no more.

I sighed. "I'm really sorry. I know what it feels like to have people hurt because of you. But I don't really think it should be our fault. I mean, it's always the choice of the person inflicting the pain, isn't it?"

Silence.

I sighed and looked back up at the dull stars, shoving the desire for home down deep inside. I didn't want the Isles to be my home, and I was going to run from the truth that _it was_ for as long as I could.

* * *

In the morning we started out for Weynon Priory, and I was surprised when Martin actually began to talk.

"Thank you, for trying to help last night." He said awkwardly.

"Ah...you're welcome." I said awkwardly back.

The silence stretched on. "So, you said you were a prisoner?"

I nodded. "I was..." I wondered what he could be thinking of me. "Not for murder or anything! I just...its a long story. The guards put me in there overnight because they said I was 'disturbing the peace'"

"Disturbing the peace?" He asked behind me.

I felt my cheeks flush. "As I said, it's a long story...maybe some other time."

"Of course."

The silence descended again.

I prayed to any Aedra, or Daedra, that could hear me that we could just get to the Priory quickly.

When we finally did get there, Eronor came running to us. "They came out of no where, they just attacked! Help, you have to help!"

My heart started beating double time. If Jauffre was killed and the Amulet taken, what would we do? "Eronor, calm down. Who attacked, what were they-"

Suddenly, a red robed man appeared from the entrance of the priory, training his sights on us. He raised his hand, and his armor materialized, as well as his mace. "Sheo! It's them!" I jumped off of the horse, and Martin followed suit. "Martin, stay behind, I don't want you to get hurt!"

I summoned a Daedroth and a mace, hoping I wouldn't die. "No, I can fight too!" I heard behind me.

My Daedroth was ripping through the red robed men, but one came running towards me. I blocked with my mace, my arms barely holding back his blow. I was not, by any means, strong. Using both hands I ripped his mace aside, throwing mine with it too. They both dissolved in midair. Before he could raise his arms to summon another weapon I lit my left hand full of electric magic and shoved it right on his face. The man screamed, twitched, and fell to the ground. I was breathing heavily as the adrenaline ran through me. That man could have killed me! A monk I had not previously met ran out of the Priory, sword in hand.

"Come quickly, Jauffre is in the Chapel!" He yelled. Martin and I exchanged glances and set off at a run towards the chapel. We burst through the doors just in time to see Jauffre shove his Katana into the stomach of the last alive assassin. He looked up at me, blood staining his robes.

"I was praying in the chapel when I heard Prior Maborel's shout, I had just time to arm myself." Looking angry and a bit flustered, he walked right past us and straight to the main building. "The Amulet of Kings must be what they came for, we must see if it's safe." He called back to us. I don't think he even saw Martin. We hurried after him, throughout the building and then up the stairs. He searched around a big room, eyes narrowed. "No, its gone..." Then with more anger in his voice. "The enemy has beat us at every turn!"

"No they haven't." I found myself interrupting. "I have Martin." Jauffre looked up, to me, and then past me, seeing Martin for the first time. The lines around his eyes loosened and he gave a thin smile.

"Than the gods have not forsaken us." His expression darkened. "Come, we must go to Cloud Ruler Temple. It is the ancient fortress of the blades. Only there will Martin be safe." He looked back to me. "You have done much for us, I heard reports of one called the 'Hero of Kvatch.' I am guessing that was you." He sighed. "You should come with us, help us protect Martin."

I looked from him, then to Martin. The priest was giving me a strange look, as if he didn't know what I would do. I sighed. "Yes, I will go with you."

Jauffre moved past us. "Then we best be off."

I smiled at Martin as I moved past him, and he smiled back.

* * *

A jolt of terror ran through me. The voices. How had I been so ignorant! How had I not noticed how silent the voices had been until now?

The cold air of Bruma blew through my cloak. We had just passed the city, and Jauffre informed us that Cloud Ruler Temple wasn't much more of a walk.

For some reason the silence of the barren, snowy landscape had made me realize the silence of my mind. The voices were gone, the madness was gone. I shivered, but not because of the cold.

Not even a whisper, there wasn't even a murmur in the back of my mind...As long as I had lived there had been something. Until I met the Emperor...Could it be his son had the same effect on me? I spared a sideways glance to Martin, whose arms were folded as he braced himself against the wind. He did look like him, if I thought about it. A younger version of him, anyways. He seemed to sense my eyes and began to turn his head my direction, but I quickly looked forward once more, ignoring his gaze on me.

Was it a good thing, having the voices gone? They were annoying, for one, disturbing, for another. However, they had been my constant companions. Sickeningly, I felt a kind of loneliness without them. Ha! My only friends were the voices within my head! Now how's that for madness...

Cloud Ruler Temple began to stretch out before us, and I was grateful. My legs were sore from the climb, as Prior Maborel's horse had not really liked walking uphill in the storm. Neither had Jauffre's. The large, too-impressive gates were pushed open and a Blade hurried out.

He looked between Martin and Jauffre. "Grandmaster, is this...?"

"Indeed." Replied Jauffre. "This is Martin, son of Emperor Uriel Septim."

One word from Jauffre and the man couldn't bow fast enough. "My Lord, it is an honor to welcome you to Cloud Ruler Temple!"

Martin looked extremely uncomfortable. "Ah, it's an honor to be here."

We all followed the Blade up the stairs, and came into a spacious courtyard lined with Blades. I stayed in the back, letting Martin and Jauffre continue to the head of the stairs.

My thoughts drifted as the snow continued to whip around us. It was certainly a storm. I never really felt comfortable in storms. Beewos had taught me that you should always leave an offering to Sheogorath during a storm, so that he would favor you, whatever that meant. I always had. It was a habit, ingrained in me from common practice. I knew, with annoyance, that I would not be able to sleep tonight without leaving an offering at the end of my bedroll.

"All Hail the Emperor, all Hail the Dragon Born!" I jumped as all the blades shouted their loyalty to Martin, their metal katana's cutting through the snowy haze.

Martin stood there, at the top of the stairs, looking extremely uncomfortable. There he was, the son of someone he never asked to be his father, thrust into a destiny he never could have imagined. And he was still _standing_. My heart swelled, touched by a feeling of kinship and appreciation I had never held for anyone. The man would never know how much in common he had with me.

"All of you..." He began. "I know you expect me to be an Emperor...I'll do my best, but this is all new to me..." He swallowed, looking very nervous. His blue eyes flashed down to mine for a moment, and I saw the fear in them. I smiled and waved, hoping to be optimistic for him. He seemed to take a deep breath, and went on. "I'm not used to giving speeches, but I want you all to know that I appreciate my welcome here. I hope I prove myself worthy of your loyalty in the coming days." he paused for a moment, then awkwardly dipped his head. "That's it. Thank you."

To their credit, all the Blades clapped. So did I. If I had been the one up there, I would have made a worse fool of myself. When the Blades dispersed, I made my way to Martin.

He smiled at me, cheeks still a little flushed from his impromptu speech. "Wasn't much of a speech was it? Didn't seem to bother them though."

I smiled back. "I thought it was lovely. Short, sweet, and to the point."

"Heh, as much of a lie as their clapping was!" He joked good-naturedly.

I shook my head, donning a serious tone. "No, really, it was good. Especially for someone that just found out they're an Emperor."

His face suddenly darkened. "The Blades hailing me and saluting me as Martin Septim...It's all so surreal."

I nodded. "I bet it is."

He suddenly looked into my eyes. "Don't think I'm not grateful friend, for you bringing me here. Without your help I would most certainly be dead."

I froze, looking straight at him. I was having a hard time registering...

"Abbie? Are you all right?" Martin asked me, looking concerned.

"Friend." I said simply, frowning. "You said 'friend.'"

"Yes..." He said confused. "Is that...is that a problem?"

I shook my head quickly. "No, no! It's just...I've never had a proper friend before. Is that what we are then? Proper friends?"

Martin looked...bewildered for a moment. Then he smiled, chuckling. "Yes, I believe so, Proper Friend."

Suddenly I felt a wave of happiness I bet not even Lord Thadon of Mania had ever experienced.

I was not so alone in the mortal world after all!


	4. Chapter 4

_**I stumbled upon this story again and I re-fell in love with it! Enjoy guys! Tell me if you think I should continue:)**_

The room was dark and full of sleeping bodies. It was only by my night-eye spell that I could make out my new armor. It was heavy, steel, and ornate. In all aspects, it was not something I would wear. Oh how I missed my amber armor! Why on earth did I leave it in the Isles?

A loud bang signaled one of the windows flying open. Instantly a windy chill snaked through the entirety of the room.

I sighed and stood up, my legs cramped and shaking. I had not yet acclimated to traveling via horseback.

Apparently the latch on the window hadn't been bolted well. That or _someone_ was playing tricks on me. I narrowed my eyes and sighed. So what, I hadn't laid out an offering to Sheogorath. It had been in the back of my mind since I sat down on my bedroll. Maybe it bothered me more than I cared to admit.

I heaved the window closed against the wind and made sure the latch was on tight. "Sorry, father. No offering for you tonight." I whispered. The window rattled forcefully, but thankfully stayed shut.

I remembered the words Jauffree had said to me. "You are now a Blade. Make your armor proud." How was I supposed to do that when every one of these Blades, who had been so kind to me, would hate me for what I was? They served the king of Aedra. And I? I was the spawn of Daedra.

I sighed, sitting back down on the lumpy bedroll. How had I gotten myself into this again? Oh yeah, fate, destiny, the hand of the Divines. I snorted. Talos must be off of his throne if he thought making me the Champion of the Emperor was a good idea.

Perhaps, I was thrown in that cell by accident, and he was up in Aetherius shading his eyes with one large dragon paw. Who knew?

I was tired, but the storm outside was still raging. I looked down at the foot of my bedroll, offering-less. Yeah, I was definitely not going to sleep. That was okay, though. After all, the sacrifice of my sleep was ensuring that my charade of being a hero could go on a little longer.

I grabbed a robe from the chest in front of my bedroll and shrugged it on. Perhaps there would be some good books in the library. As I walked through the darkness, my night-eye illuminated everything in a bluish glow. It was kind of creepy. With everyone asleep, nothing was moving, as if the breath of life had left the world. In the Isles, even at night, there was something moving. The air always felt alive and full of energy.

A flash of something bright attacked my left eye. I jumped, nearly tripping over myself. What had that been? Whatever it was, it had hurried under a weapon's display. My heart was beating faster than it ought to. Really, I had probably just imagined it. I moved on to the library, but something was tugging at the back of my mind. I needed to know what that little white thing had been! Inwardly growling at myself, I doubled back over to the weapons display. Cautiously, I got down on my knees and pressed my cheek against the stone floor.

I smiled. It was just a little white mouse! Besides scaring me, the creature's only offense was being cute. "Hey there little buddy. Wanna come play?" Of course he didn't understand me, he kept munching on his little crumb. I muttered a weak beast control spell, and his ears perked up. His little feet launched him over to me, and he climbed onto my outstretched hand. "Okay, nice, now I have a friend. Let's go read some books, okay?" He looked up in my face and squeaked. His soft warmth and wet nose against my fingers made me giggle softly.

With my left hand I pushed open the door to the library. I froze. I was not alone. There was candlelight at one of the tables. It radiated outward like a crown, anointing the last Septim. There was something about the soft glow of candlelight that I found beautiful. I let my night-eye spell disintegrate, and the world became black tinged with gold. Buried in a book, his head was held up by his elbows, and his hands twisted in with his hair.

Should I go? Or should I maybe ask him if he was okay? I didn't want to intrude but at the same time, would it be intruding? He had said I was his friend...

Before I could change my mind, I stepped forward silently. My plan was that he would notice me before I got too close, but I ended up right behind him without rousing his attention. Wait, was his candle really that close to the books? Sheol, the flames were nearly touching the pile of scrolls! I reached over his back and quickly pushed the candle away from the paper.

Martin jumped, arms brought up between me and him in some sort of defensive position. "By the Nine!" He exclaimed, breathing hard. "Abby, what in the name of Mara..."

I blushed, stepping back. "Sorry, I just kinda saw how close your candle was to the books and I didn't think to announce myself, I just sorta...I'm sorry for startling you!"

He chuckled, the worry leaving his face. "That's quite alright. Knowing me I was too deep in my book to hear you approach."

Well, at least he wasn't mad at me! He actually...looked kind of happy. "Can you not sleep?"

He shook his head, eyes reflecting the morphic flame of the candle. "No. The storms are louder here than they ever were in Kvatch." The smile had left him, and his eyes were remembering fire. Good going, Abby...

I nodded, looking out the window. The winds were whirling against the building, throwing up swirls of snowbanks and ice. I sighed, sitting down in an empty chair. "You know, I used to love storms...but now I can hardly sleep through them."

"Why do you think that changed?" Asked Martin. I turned my head to him, and he seemed to be sincerely interested.

I frowned. Because they were the embodiment of madness. Because they only served to remind me what I was running from. Because they were Sheogorath. "Because...because I feel like there is something watching me. I can hear voices in the wind."

I dared to look up in Martin's face. He wasn't frowning, or wary, or disinterested. He was nodding absently, staring into my eyes. "Yes, I can see why you would think that. I suppose everyone interprets storm clouds differently."

I appreciated him, I noticed. He was contemplative, he was kind, and he was something solid. He was nothing like the madness I was used to.

"Um, is that a mouse you have in your hand?"

I blinked at the sudden change in conversation. I looked down at the white, fuzzy creature, and smiled. He was reaching tiny arms up to clean behind his ears. "Yes, I found him scurrying along the ground." I held him up so Martin could see, and this time his face did take on a wary look. I laughed. "He's harmless. I think I will name him Haskill."

The Septim looked even more confused. "Are you keeping it?"

Could I keep him? If I fed him, and gave him a nice little home, surely it would be better than scurrying around in the cold with the risk of getting bludgeoned by the cook. "I think so." I looked around the room for anything to put him in when I spotted a large glass alembic. I ran over to it and grabbed it, slipping Haskill into the little hole. "There we go. Some grass bits will make nice bedding for you, won't they?" But I'd be gone before I could forage for them.

"Could you take care of him while I'm away?"

Martin frowned. "You're leaving?" If I wasn't mistaken, he sounded a tiny bit sad.

"Yes, Jauffree has a task for me, it's about finding the Amulet. I have to go to the Imperial City." I watched his face, and it appeared to sink as I talked.

"You are the only one here who doesn't bow to my like I'm a god." He muttered, rubbing his face with a hand.

"In some ways, you are." I pointed out, poking the outside of the alembic with a finger.

He sighed. "This is all so disorienting. One minute I am the son of a farmer, a simple priest. The next, death is raining down from the sky and I am the next in line to the throne of the empire?!" His voice was rising in pitch, and he buried his head in his hands. "It's insanity!" I made out through the muffle.

My heartstrings tugged for him. How much this must all be...and all of it he had to hide from the men in order to keep up their confidence. "No, insanity is giving a _mad_ Dunmer the task of saving the world from _mad_ Daedric cultists. Do you need me to cast a calming spell on you?" He didn't answer. "Martin, you are already doing a great job with this. Your dad said to me that it was my destiny to help you, and I am the least likely candidate in the plane of Nirn to do so. I think it's safe to say that you are not alone in feeling the impossibility of the situation." I reached out and tapped his shoulder, and he removed one hand to peer at me. "I believe in you, everyone believes in you, not because of your bloodline, but because of who you are. You believe in me, right?"

His head shot up. "Of course."

I smiled, heart warming a bit. "Believing in me is harder to do than believing in a man like yourself, so do me a favor and believe in him too, okay?" There was a pause, and he nodded. "Good. Now I won't have to worry while I'm away!" I stood up. "Well, you look after Haskilll, and I will be back as soon as I can."

"Wait, you're leaving now? In the storm?" I looked out the window and saw the swirling snow and heard the howling wind.

I smiled grimly. "I am used to walking in storms. I have my whole life." I gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. "Goodnight Martin, and try not to burn the temple down." I gestured to the candle.

He ducked his head a little. "I won't, I promise. Good luck, Abby, and be careful."

I snorted softly. Yes, as careful as was possible. I returned to grab my things, passing over the armor. I grabbed some cheese, bread, wine, and carrots from the pantry, and my cloak from where it hung by the fire in the great hall. The material was no longer waterlogged, I noted happily.

I grabbed the handles of the large hall doors, and pulled. Instantly, the storm flew inside, and I struggled to pull the doors shut from the outside. They finally came together with a dull thud, and it was then that I turned to face the full storm. I didn't even bother to pull up my hood as the ice crystals pierced my skin. I stepped forward into the gale, unflinchingly passing through the cold embrace of my father.

* * *

Okay, so perhaps challenging the might of my father was not such a great idea. Another sneeze passed through my body and I shivered, holding my robe close. Now I would have to meet with Baurus, and possibly fight evil conjurers, with a head cold. I glanced down at the piece of parchment in my hand, where I had scribbled down the name of the place Baurus would meet me. _Luther Broad's Boarding House._ I glanced down the row of shops, and saw no signs with that name. I continued my search down the road. It was in the Elven Gardens district, right? Finally, I spotted a sign that looked hopeful, making out the crescent moon shape from afar. Gratefully, I headed toward the building.

When I shut the door behind me, I took a moment to bathe in the warm air toasted with the smell of beef stew and moist bread. I opened my eyes to find a few occupants of the room sending me sideways glances. I sighed. Was it really that strange to enjoy the smell of warm food?

I glanced around and made out the Redguard I was looking for. I smiled and opened my mouth to greet him, but his eyes became wide and he gave me what I thought was a concealed shake of his head. I frowned, but kept quiet, and took the stool next to him as if I did not know him.

"Good evenin' lass, what can I getcha?" Asked a ruddy-faced Nord with a jovial smile. My mouth watered.

"Um, whatever stew is cooking, some bread and a pint of mead." My stomach growled.

If possible, his smile grew even wider. "Comin' right up!" For a brief moment, I let myself be surprised by how kind a Nord was being to a Dunmer.

"Don't look at me. Don't talk to me. Don't pay any attention to me." Whispered Baurus in a low voice, so that only I could hear. "See that man over there?" Trying to be as casual as I could, I looked around the room, catching the man Baurus had indicated in the corner of my eye. "His name is Astav Wirich, and if I'm right, he's been following me. Now, I'm going to get up and walk into the cellar. A few moments later, Wirich will get up to follow me. That's when I want you to follow him. Things might get hairy." With one more drink of his mead, Baurus got up and sauntered to the cellar door, entering.

A chair scraped across the floor and Wirich rose, brushed off his tunic, and walked into the cellar. I took a breath and stood, wincing at my muscles. This was going to be fun.

As soon as the door shut behind me, I was covered in darkness. I used my night-eye spell, and then I could see the back of Wirich, which was now shiny with conjured armor. "Arg!" Came a grunt, and a sword came down on Wirich from around the corner. The man blocked it with a mace, and I saw a perfect opportunity to strike him. A dagger materialized in my hand, and I crept up behind him. The Bladesman saw me hold up my dagger and smiled. The man stumbled into my blade as Baurus pushed him back, and his armor melted away.

"Nice job! Man, you mages are sneakier than I give you credit for. Sorry about that earlier, I really am glad to see a friendly face!" Baurus smiled, looking a lot happier than the last time I'd seen him. He glanced around. "All right, I'll keep a lookout, you search the body." I made a face, but bent down and patted Astav's body dutifully. I felt something in his pockets, and reached in to take it out. Huh, it was a book.

"Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes, Volume I." I held it up for him to see. He took it, leafing through the pages.

"Hmmm, people wanting to join the Mythic Dawn collect the four volumes. They say it's the only way to find Dagon's shrine."

Ah yes, the shrine of Mehrunes Dagon. It was shrouded in secrecy and horror, and it was the only one that no one knew the location of. That is, unless you were a follower of his cult. "So we need to find the other three?"

Baurus nodded. "That's what you can help me with. I have a contact at the Arcane University, an Argonian by the name of Tar-Meena. She should be able to shed some light on this, may even help find the other copies."

I nodded, taking the Commentaries when he handed them back to me. My nose suddenly itched. "ACH-CHoo!" My body bent over with the sneeze.

"Whoa there, you all right?" Asked Baurus, patting my back awkwardly.

I laughed, my voice congested. "Uh, yeah, I think I just caught a cold or something on the way here."

"Oh, yeah, Dunmer don't do well in the cold, do they? Why don't you come up and have that food you ordered before you go, you look like you could use it. Besides, you can tell me about the heir."

I inwardly winced. Oh how Martin would cringe at being referred to as 'the heir.' We climbed the steps and sat down, and my stew was waiting for me at the bar. I instantly dug in, and the flavor was delicious. "I think this is veal." I mumbled with my mouth full.

Baurus just laughed. I could tell how excited he was to hear about Martin, but he waited a bit so that I could eat some of my food. Finally, when he could wait no longer, Baurus asked about Martin. "So, what's he like?"

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "He's a normal human. He is a humble man who is embarrassed by people bowing down to him, flustered by the responsibilities of being Emperor, and guilt-ridden for being responsible for the deaths at Kvatch." Baurus paused, and I could tell that wasn't what he had expected to hear. I sighed. "He is a normal man. Of course he will get used to the idea of being Emperor, but next you see him, I'd refrain from the bowing." I dipped my bread in the soup, stirring it around. "He is kind, and soft spoken, and when he smiles, it feels like you've earned it. That's the kind of man he is, a good man."

The Blade took another drink of his mead, and I finished my stew in silence.

* * *

"What do you mean, I can't have it?"

Phintias rolled his eyes. "You can't have it because I already sold it. I can't just give it to you, I'd lose the trust of my clients!"

It was my turn to roll my eyes. I liked to be polite, but this man was so _rude._ "Like you've never done that before?"

Phintius pursed his lips. "You know what, Grey-skin, I-"

The door opened with a ding, and in walked a high elf of embarrassingly short stature. "I'm here for my book." He said in a high, candied voice.

"Of course." Said Phintias, glaring over the elf's shoulder to look at me. "Here it is."

"Ahh, thank you, thank you, you don't know how long it took me to find this! I am in your debt!"

I bit my lip in annoyance. I was feeling worse by the second. I just needed some rest, and this irritating high elf who had apparently travelled _all the way from the Summerset Isles_ to get this book would not stop talking. Finally, he left the shop, and without even looking at Phintias, I followed him out.

Taking long strides, I jumped in front of him, palm out. "Give me that book."

The elf was startled, but angry. "W-what? No, you don't know how much I paid for this!"

I narrowed my eyes. "Yes, I do, I was just in there trying to buy it from Phintias before you arrived."

The elf donned a snotty expression. "Well, you were too late. I ordered it first, so if you want to join the Mythic Dawn, you will have to find another copy."

I stepped forwards and grasped his shoulder. "You fool, the Mythic Dawn murdered the Emperor!"

The elf's face contorted in fear. "W-what? Oh, my goodness...you must believe I never knew about any of that, of course not!" He shoved the book into my hands. Here, take it, I don't want it anymore! And this, this note!" I grabbed the note he was flailing in front of my face.

"What's this for?" I demanded. On the note was a location, and a time.

"The fourth book you can only get through a direct, face to face meeting with a representative of the Mythic Dawn, and you need all four of them to find out where the shrine is. That was a meeting I was going to attend to get the fourth volume, but I certainly don't want to have anything to do with it anymore!" With that, the elf hurried away, leaving me standing in the rain with the third copy of the Commentaries.

When I returned to Luther Broad's to show Baurus what I'd accomplished, I found him in the same place I left him. I set down all three of the copies in front of him, smiling. Tar-Meena had given me the second volume.

"By Talos, that was fast!" Grinned Baurus.

"And here is the location and time I have to meet with the Mythic Dawn representative to get the final copy." I handed him the note.

He looked at it with a strange look on his face. "I know where this is. There's a room in the sewers with a desk and a chair, and no one knows what it's used for but..." We looked at each other and nodded, agreeing that it was most likely used to pass on copies of the Commentaries. "Well, we best get going, we don't want to waste any time when it comes to finding the Amulet."

I suppressed a groan and told my tired limbs to behave as I followed Baurus out of the pub.

The sewers that Baurus was leading me through were mundane and smelly, and we trudged through the grimy water for what seemed like a mile. I let him take care of the pesky mudcrabs. There was no way my cold was going to get better soon after this. Finally, he helped me up the steep stairs onto relatively dry brick, and we walked through a dark tunnel and into a wider space.

"It's just through there." He pointed to a foreboding wooden door.

I nodded. "Okay, I can do this." I muttered to myself.

"Actually, I'm going to do it." Said Baurus matter-of-factly.

I blinked. "What, why?"

He laughed and put a hand on my shoulder. "Because, I want you to stay safe. There's a lookout up there."

I frowned. "But I know how to talk to cultists!" Then, I paused. He didn't really need to know that, did he?

He raised a brow. "You do, huh?"

I shrugged and scratched the back of my neck, feeling my cheeks redden. "I used to have a few friends who, ah, you know. They dabbled."

He frowned. "I still don't think it's a good idea." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Abby, you don't look too good. I don't want you to have to fight. Just watch my back, I know how to handle myself." He winked.

I sighed. I really didn't want anything to happen to him. He was a nice guy. "Fine. Just, be careful."

He chuckled. "I always am." He turned away to go through the door, and I hurried up to the higher level.

There was a bridge that spanned across the room, but I stayed in the mouth of the doorway, where the shadows would cover me. I peaked out over the table, to watch Baurus take a seat. Soon, a red robed man was stalking towards him.

"Ah, if it isn't another Initate waiting to seek the glory of our Lord of Destruction." I rolled my eyes. Destruction? Even I would admit that madness was better.

There was the sound of creaking, and a gate across the bridge opened. Two Mythic Dawn members stepped out, holding torches. I froze. They were going to see me!

They walked closer and closer, and I pressed myself up against the stone wall. Sheo, sheo, sheo...

One of the red robed transients met my eye, and I blinked. "Hi."

"Arg!" He shot a fireball at me and I yelped, barely dodging. The flames licked at the side of my robes. There were two of them.

I thought I heard Baurus shout below, but I couldn't be sure of it. What if he needed help?

Scratch that, I needed help! They were both charging spells, and I summoned a magical barrier in front of me and charged, yelling the whole way.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" I hit them, knocking one of them off the bridge. The other one simply landed in front of me. Oh, gods, he had a sword too! I threw my hand up and summoned a skeleton, and it immediately started hacking at the downed cultist. He screamed and screamed, but he was on his back, and could do little to defend from it's blows.

Fire whizzed past my head, and I gasped. He was shooting at me from below! I stayed in the perfect middle of the bridge, heart hammering. Should I attack? Should I summon another creature? Should I help Baurus?

I took a deep breath and charged a frost spell. Okay, time to do this. I leaned over the stone bridge and shot ice as far as I could. I heard a grunt, and then a wail, and then nothing. I let the spell go, and then looked around. The cultist had been frozen! I smiled. "Hey Baurus, are you-whoa!" The stone in front of me had become icy, and I slipped as I put my weight on it.

I tumbled to the stone floor in a heap. It hadn't been far, but I didn't land well.

"Abby, are you okay?" Asked Baurus, coming to kneel next to me.

I nodded. By the Nine, I wasn't going to get over this cold, was I?

He grinned, holding up a book. "Look what I got!"

I gave him a feeble thumbs up.


End file.
